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P-platers are banned from driving certain EVs in Australia – but the rules are a national hodge-podge that must be fixed
Outdated power-to-weight rules struggle to keep pace with EV acceleration, leaving gaps in P-plate restrictions as instant torque reshapes what defines high-performance vehicles today, writes Paul Gover.
Paul Gover: Modern-day car tech is rendering another once-essential driving skill obsolete
The ability to reverse park once won hearts and street cred… but now cameras and sensors are transforming the old-school skill
Rivian takes the step every EV manufacturer should
Rivian’s recent announcement that it would use second-hand EV batteries to partly power its production plant, is news every other manufacturer should pay attention to.
Why plug-in hybrid ute owners are laughing now
Maligned early on, criticised as not being ‘legitimate’ and hammered for the absence of a ‘proper’ diesel engine, dual-cab owners with petrol/plug-in hybrid powertrains are laughing in the face of increased fuel prices.
Massive US-style utes are in the sights of new safety rules… but is the targeting unfair?
Stricter new ANCAP rules on huge American-style pickups were always going to be polarising as the massive utes grow in popularity in Australia.
Own a plug-in hybrid? Then you already own an EV provided you’re doing one crucial thing…
An ABC study on hundreds of thousands of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) showed that most users don’t regularly charge. With fuel costs soaring, and shortages on the cards, now is the time to understand everything about your PHEV.
Trent Nikolic: Now is the time to discuss why Australia is not fuel self-sufficient
With talk of fuel such as diesel hitting $4.00/litre, rationing taking effect, or supply drying up, now is the time for Australians to be demanding a return to fuel self-sufficiency… and asking what happened to a 90-day reserve.
Michael Stahl: The incredible story of how Kerry Packer came to own his first Audi Quattro
A rally-bred Audi and a billionaire’s singlemindedness – how Kerry Packer set his sights on a right-hook Quattro performance coupe in the 1980s.
Paul Gover: It was during a fancy restaurant meal I realised Australia’s car industry was doomed
You go to some nice restaurants as a car journo… but one fine-dining meal more than a decade ago left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Paul Gover: In a long career in motoring, my latest milestone was a surprise
I’ve experienced amazing milestones during a long career in and around motoring – recently, there was a new one to add to the list which made me take stock.
Michael Stahl: Cars today are nothing like I imagined they would be 50 years ago
I imagined Jetsons-like creations or the wilder creations of Ferrari and Lamborghini, instead we became obsessed with ‘sports utility vehicles’…
Wheels opinion: The lost art of changing a tyre
As potholes rise and spares vanish, more Australians can’t change a flat, writes Paul Gover, turning tyre mishaps into costly delays and exposing a fragility of modern motoring.
Opinion: Should we be asking more questions about the ANCAP safety ratings?
Wheels columnist Paul Gover reckons It’s time to ask some questions about the cherished ANCAP 5-star safety rating.
Michael Stahl: New cars are all the same – but there’s still hope for unique design, isn’t there?
Car engineering is now same-same – but car design still offers hope, argues Wheels columnist Michael Stahl.
Michael Stahl: It’s not hoarding if you really, really love your classic cars
Sentimentality causing you to hold on to ‘stuff’ can be justified if its cool stuff that you maintain in mint condition, argues our regular Wheels columnist.
Michael Stahl: How a classic Aussie car I thought was lost found its way back into my life
A story about a wine-coloured Falcon GT ‘barn find’ sparked a memory from 40 years ago.
Are synthetic e-fuels the key to V10 engines returning to Formula One?
To keep interest high in Formula One and enhance the roar of high-powered engines, e-fuels may be the way forward…
New cars are great n’all – but there’s a reason I still prefer the old stuff
Yes, new cars are safer and have a lot more easy-to-use tech, but they’re also a lot ‘samer’…
In an age of digital touchscreens, are buttons making a comeback?
The dashboard trend for screens rather than buttons started more than 20 years ago – now there is a rethink by some car-makers.
Is the EV boom already over?
The tide seems to be turning against the electric car… but It’s not something to be celebrating.
From latest Wheels: Why the test drive is still a vital part of buying a new car
If you don’t test out your prospective new car, how will you know how it performs in every day use?
Why motor racing still thrills like nothing else
Nothing beats seeing a racing car in real life… or does it?
Why are so many people driving in darkness?
There’s a reason so many people are suddenly cruising the streets at night without headlights…
How an avalanche of new car brands are set to transform the Aussie market
In a few years, there could be 20 brands from China arriving in the Australian car marketplace. It’s going to get pretty crowded in here…
